114 replies to this topic

[stormy]

Tony,
ok, no probs, just thought that as you seemed to be looking for suggestions that they may have been missed.



Paddy900, understand about the costs from Ireland.


mike

[OF.uk]

Once again I'd suggest Hungary for a future RTT but no doubt too far for most of you. However, once here food, drink, fuel and accomodation are very inexpensive. Couple this with fantastic weather, long straights and twisty mountain roads and you couldn't ask for much more......or could you

[Studley Ramrod]

Just a query regarding Portugal. Would it be a sail one way and biking the other, or biking both ways, or sailing both ?
Also, some idea as to how much it would cost. As it stands I've got more time than money so I'd prolly go 'The Cheap Way Round'
Would a Grand be enough ?

[ChrisG]

Ferry to Santander is around £500 return (Oh no it's isn't! see later posts). Ferry to Cherbourg or tunnel to Calais are both around £100.

France options leave you with about 1500 miles (return) on the road. With running costs and a few nights accomoation (not all of us are as mad a MarkyMark) I don't reckon traveling though France saves you that much, though you do get a longer holiday for the same money.

Edited by ChrisG, 29 July 2009 - 01:02 pm.

[poldark]

Ferry to Santander is around £500 return. Ferry to Cherbourg or tunnel to Calais are both around £100.

France options leave you with about 1500 miles (return) on the road. With running costs and a few nights accomoation (not all of us are as mad a MarkyMark) I don't reckon traveling though France saves you that much, though you do get a longer holiday for the same money.

Wow, is it as much as that.

I'd done a quick check on Sept 09 ('cos June/July '10 not yet available) and it was nearer £250, but maybe that's 'cos it was Sept.

IF we did Portugal then early June rather than early July might be sensible for weather and possible ferry cost - but is that valid for an RTT?

[ChrisG]

Wow, is it as much as that.

I ran one through thier website for the start of August thinking still peak season, just had another look and it seems to be bumping me up to a cabin rather than a seat, presumably because they're all booked, which must be bumping the price up, looks like your price may memore realistic, just got it down to £400 with a cabin one way and a seat the other. Looks like a group booking and sharing a cabin would save a fair bit of cash. At £250/head it'd definatly be cheaper to sail to Santander than ride from Cherbourg.

Agree that if we do go for Portugal it really should be a bit earlier in the year to get pre school holiday ferry prices.

[poldark]

I ran one through thier website for the start of August thinking still peak season, just had another look and it seems to be bumping me up to a cabin rather than a seat, presumably because they're all booked, which must be bumping the price up, looks like your price may memore realistic, just got it down to £400 with a cabin one way and a seat the other. Looks like a group booking and sharing a cabin would save a fair bit of cash. At £250/head it'd definatly be cheaper to sail to Santander than ride from Cherbourg.

Agree that if we do go for Portugal it really should be a bit earlier in the year to get pre school holiday ferry prices.

Yep I did have to find a date when the reclining seat option was avaiable to get to £250, but if we'd be going ahead of school hols and booking early it'd be feasable I hope.

On IOM option I just found the dates for the TT in 2010 (29/5 - 11/6), so we'd be after then but there's always the Crown Green Bowling Festival.

Edited by poldark, 29 July 2009 - 12:53 pm.

[MarkyMark]

£500 for a day on a boat! - Who wants to spend their biking holiday on a boat?

[TonyDevil]

Just a query regarding Portugal. Would it be a sail one way and biking the other, or biking both ways, or sailing both ?
Also, some idea as to how much it would cost. As it stands I've got more time than money so I'd prolly go 'The Cheap Way Round'
Would a Grand be enough ?

easily!
to give you an idea the last RTT for me was....

12 days, 2200miles
Ferry from Portsmouth to Santander and return from Cherbourg to Portsmouth £192
fuel £250 ish
camping fees £100 + B&B costs £100
plus food and drink £200ish

[Studley Ramrod]

Wow ! I was thinking it'd be £200 each way on the ferry !

It might even be cheaper next year if the pound strengthens !

I haven't been abroad much at all really so for me, it'd be Portugal as my first choice, it's also sunny ! I'd probably stretch it to 2 weeks then I could get the ferry both ways and still have lots of biking time.

That said, I'll be at the next RTT wherever it ends up being

[stormy]

Thing is with the Santander Ferry, is that if you have 4 people sharing one cabin, then it works out much much cheaper than the prices you are being quoted.

3 of us did Santander earlier in June, with 2 bikes, one cabin, worked out at £75 per head.

When you are getting quotes, make your request based on you sharing with others, because no doubt some will want to double up.

I'd consider doing what Studley suggested, and make a 2 week holiday out of it.

mike.

[TonyDevil]

the poll closes at the end of August, so get voting folks!

[Mark_TDM 4TX6]

I vote for Portugal mostley for the weather and because I never been there.
Hope that the date for the RTT is good for me next year so I can join you guys.

Mark.

[Geordie Guy]

Two RTT's next year ?????????

One Local for Local peeps

and one with our Portugiess neighbours on the mainland

[poldark]

Two RTT's next year ?????????

One Local for Local peeps

and one with our Portugiess neighbours on the mainland

Bit too early to make a call given the Poll is open till end of Aug, but I assume that if the choice was just between IOM & Portugal then the other UK votes would turn into IOM votes, so looking like that is clear No.1 at the moment.

But good point made, if official June/July RTT is IOM maybe there's another trip to Portugal in Sept (when it's not so hot too!) - that's assuming funds for both, which maybe tricky especially given RTT11 in Vosges to follow.

Time to start buying a lottery ticket again!

[stu]

One Local for Local peeps

Err like this?

[pete7]

As some people may be aware I am great fan of IoM both because of TT and also the place itself.

As well as the best completely de-restricted roads on the planet it is a beautiful, compact, encapsulation of some of best UK landscapes.
These range from high moorland, secluded glens, water features and stunning coastline. Biking roads vary from the TT circuit, with 180 mph stretches (eek) on the mountain (not by me but PaulB where are you?) to twisty, bumpy sections in the beauty of the southern parts of the island.

As well as this there is the fascination of some of the most varied rail and tram systems in the world and some really gorgoues coast towns, with pubs, like port erin and port st mary, Peel and castletown.

I would be happy to help arrangements where possible if people are interested in this approach

Pete

some pix from TT and also visit by myself and Mrs K in 2007:

I was going to vote on this tonight but my computer tells me I already have (memory problems are not improving since becoming OAP!)

in deciding I understand that people will think seriously about whether there is enough on a little island to keep everyone occupied for few days

this is the tourist link if it will help -

http://www.visitisleofman.com/explore/

Key points to remember are perhaps:

- brilliant mtorcycling experience on TOTALLY derestricted roads ( exc in urban areas of course) - see pic above

- history of TT to explore through the course, and also some of the best classic bike museums - see pic above

- cracking country for biking and walking especially on southern and western coasts


- cycle hire for £12/day (it would be great to do the TT course on a bicycle if anyone fancies it)


- range of publci transport from horse trams, tramway to mountain top through to old steam railways

sorry no pix of electric tram or steam railway

hope this is of some help but the IoM tourism gang via the link will do the "selling" job much more eloquently than me

all the best

Pete

[fatchap]

Reply from Steam Packet Co., which doesn't really get us further on possible ferry costs (see below), though there is a list of price bandings online that suggest prices from Liverpool could be £100-150, but maybe wrong on that.

Thank you for your query,

Prices for 2010 will not be available until late October/early November. We do not offer group discounts but would advise to book as far in advance as possible to avail of the cheapest fares. If you contact me again in November with travel dates and the amount of bikes and people travelling I should be able to give you a quote then.

Kind regards

Anya Quiggin
Passenger Services Officer
Isle of Man Steam Packet Company
Imperial Builidings
Douglas
Isle of Man
IM1 2BY

Tel: +44 (0) 1624 645695
Fax: +44 (0) 1624 645608
Personally I'd prefer to know ferry costs before deciding between IOM and other options, can we wait till Nov though?

Just for information, I am booked on the IOM ferry from Heysham next week. This is Manx G.P. practice week, and the return cost for 1 fatchap and 1 TDM900 is £95

Assume that the robbing b@stards will increase the price by 10% for next year, and we're still only looking at around £100

I am not sure, without checking, what the difference is from Liverpool.

In my opinion, the IOM is worth every penny of the ferry fare, just to be in a lovely place where the people like bikers and don't treat you like a second class citizen. Plus the roads are brill.
I read on a previous post about the cost of living in IOM. It is approx. 10% more expensive than the mainland. Although the beer is not!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Studley Ramrod]

It appears obvious to me that no-one has yet discussed what some may consider, an essential factor, in deciding where the RTT is held.
I have taken the opportunity therefore to provide a brief glimse into the offerings of the four potential venues in relation to CAKE !
This report is not in any way biased towards PORTUGAL ! No sireee, nope, not at all !

IOM Cake
http://noblesparkcafe.com/page3.htm

Portugese Cake
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolo_Rei
http://en.wikipedia....uisine#Desserts

The Portuguese enjoy rich egg-based desserts. These are often seasoned with spices such

as cinnamon and vanilla. Perhaps most popular is leite-creme (a set egg custard). Also

popular is arroz doce (a typical and popular rice pudding, a must in Christmas time

parties), although aletria (a similar dish this time based upon a kind of vermicelli), is

common. These are often decorated with elaborate stencilled patterns of cinnamon powder.

Other custards include pudim flan. Cakes and pastries are also very popular. Most towns

have a local speciality, usually egg or cream based pastry. Originally from Lisbon, but

popular nationwide, as well as among the diaspora, are pastéis de nata. These are small,

extremely rich custard tarts. Other very popular pastries found in cafes, bakeries and

pastry shops across the entire territory, include the bola de Berlim and the pão-de-ló. In

the south specially in the Algarve region, many recipes include almonds and marzipan.


Scottish Cake
http://www.britishco...otland-cake.htm

Yorkshire Cake
http://www.thecakest...re_Terrier.html


Please feel free to add an addition info/photos/samples to this wholly unbiased report !

Edited by Studley Ramrod, 17 August 2009 - 01:34 pm.

[Geordie Guy]

Bolo Rei looks like road-kill !!!

Edited by Geordie Guy, 17 August 2009 - 01:54 pm.